Suction head of vacuum cleaner

ABSTRACT

A suction head of a vacuum cleaner, comprises: a housing having a suction port through which dust on a floor is sucked by an operation of a fan motor; a primary brush rotatably installed in the suction port and having a plurality of bristles arranged in a longitudinal direction thereof; a primary brush driving device for reciprocatingly rotating the primary brush within a range of a predetermined angle; and an auxiliary brush rotatably installed at one side of the primary brush and having a plurality of bristles arranged in a longitudinal direction thereof, for supplementing an operation of the primary brush with being rotated. According to this, an entire area occupied by the suction head can be evenly brushed, and brushed dust can be smoothly sucked.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a suction head of a vacuum cleaner, andmore particularly, to a suction head of a vacuum cleaner, capable ofenhancing a cleaning function by providing an auxiliary brush forsupplementing an operation of a brush to collect dust on a floor.

2. Description of the Conventional Art

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, an upright type vacuum cleaner in accordancewith the conventional art comprises: a body 1 having an accommodationspace therein; a handgrip 6 installed at an upper side of the body 1; afan motor 2 installed in the body 1 and generating a suction force; afilter 3 arranged at a suction side of the fan motor 2 and filteringdust; a dust chamber 4 for accommodating the filter 3 and dust filteredby the filter 3; and a suction head 5 connected to the dust chamber 4 bya connection hose 7, for sucking external dust by an operation of thefan motor 2.

The suction head 5 includes: a housing 10 provided with a suction port11 having a structure opened towards a floor; a suction duct 14 forcollecting dust sucked by the suction port 11; a connection pipe 15 forconnecting the suction duct 14 and the connection hose 7; a brush 13rotatably installed at an inner side of the suction port 11 and having aplurality of bristles 12 at an outer surface thereof, for collectingdust on a floor with being rotated; a driving motor 16 for providing adriving force to rotate the brush 13; and a rotational forcetransmitting mechanism for transmitting a rotational force of thedriving motor 16 to the brush 13. The rotational force transmittingmechanism is composed of a driving pulley 17 connected to a motor shaftof the driving motor 16, a driven pulley 18 installed at an outercircumference of the brush 13, and a belt 19 for connecting the drivingpulley 17 and the driven pulley 18.

In the conventional vacuum cleaner, when a power source is applied tothe vacuum cleaner, a suction force is generated at the suction port 11of the suction head 5 by a suction force generated at the fan motor 2.By the suction force, dust on a floor is sucked through the suction port11 thus to be introduced into the body 1 through the suction duct 14,the connection pipe 15, and the connection hose 7.

At this time, when the driving motor 16 is rotated, a rotational forceof the driving motor 16 is transmitted to the brush 13 through thedriving pulley 17, the belt 19, and the driven pulley 18 and thereby thebrush 13 is rotated by 360°. As the brush 13 is rotated, the bristles 12installed on an outer surface of the brush 13 separate dust from thefloor thereby to facilitate a suction of dust attached on the floor.

However, in the suction head 5 of the conventional vacuum cleaner, thebrush 13 is rotated by 360° in a single direction. According to this,the bristles 12 of the brush 13 brush the floor in a single directionthereby to have a limitation in brushing the floor.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a suctionhead of a vacuum cleaner, capable of enhancing a cleaning function byconstructing a brush installed in a suction port thus to collect dust toreciprocatingly rotate within a range of a predetermined angle.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a suction head ofa vacuum cleaner, capable of properly sucking brushed dust into a bodyby providing an auxiliary brush for supplementing an operation of thebrush.

To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purposeof the present invention, as embodied and broadly described herein,there is provided a suction head of a vacuum cleaner, comprising: ahousing having a suction port through which dust on a floor is sucked byan operation of a fan motor; a primary brush rotatably installed in thesuction port and having a plurality of bristles arranged in alongitudinal direction thereof; a primary brush driving device forreciprocatingly rotating the primary brush within a range of apredetermined angle; and an auxiliary brush rotatably installed at oneside of the primary brush and having a plurality of bristles arranged ina longitudinal direction thereof, for supplementing an operation of theprimary brush with being rotated.

The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of thepresent invention will become more apparent from the following detaileddescription of the present invention when taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a furtherunderstanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute apart of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention andtogether with the description serve to explain the principles of theinvention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an upright type vacuum cleaner inaccordance with the conventional art;

FIG. 2 is a cross-section view showing a suction head of the vacuumcleaner in accordance with the conventional art;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an upright type vacuum cleaneraccording to the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a cross-section view showing a suction head of the vacuumcleaner according to the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a primary brush and a primary brushdriving device provided at the suction head of the vacuum cleaneraccording to the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing the suction head of the vacuumcleaner according to the present invention; and

FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing an operation state of the suctionhead of the vacuum cleaner according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of thepresent invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, an upright type vacuum cleaner according tothe present invention comprises: a body 1 having an accommodation spacetherein; a handgrip 6 installed at an upper side of the body 1; a fanmotor 2 installed in the body 1 and generating a suction force; a filter3 arranged at a suction side of the fan motor 2 and filtering dust; adust chamber 4 for accommodating the filter 3 and dust filtered by thefilter 3; and a suction head 100 connected to the dust chamber 4 by aconnection hose 7, for sucking external dust by an operation of the fanmotor 2.

The suction head 100 includes: a housing 110 provided with a suctionport 20 having a structure opened towards a floor; a cylindrical primarybrush 30 rotatably installed in the suction port 20 and having aplurality of bristles 31 arranged in a longitudinal direction thereof; aprimary brush driving device 40 for reciprocatingly rotating the primarybrush 30 forwardly and backwardly within a range of a predeterminedangle; a first suction duct 50 having an inlet 51 positionedcorresponding to a direction of dust movement when the primary brush 30rotates in a forward direction; a second suction duct 60 having an inlet61 positioned corresponding to a direction of dust movement when theprimary brush 30 rotates in a backward direction; a connection pipe 115for connecting the first suction duct 50 and the second suction duct 60to the connection hose 7; a cylindrical auxiliary brush 70 rotatablyinstalled at one side of the primary brush 30 and having a plurality ofbristles 71 arranged in a longitudinal direction thereof, forsupplementing an operation of the primary brush 30 with being rotated;and a rotational force transmitting unit 80 for transmitting arotational force of the fan motor 2 to the auxiliary brush 70.

The bristles 31 of the brush 30 are uniformly installed on the primarybrush 30 in a longitudinal direction of the primary brush 30 as aplurality of rows.

As shown in FIG. 5, the primary brush driving device 40 is composed of:a driving motor 41 for providing a driving force; and a driving forcetransmitting unit 42 for transmitting a driving force of the drivingmotor 41 to the primary brush 30 so that the primary brush 30 can bereciprocatingly rotated within a range of a predetermined angle.

The driving force transmitting unit 42 is composed of: a rotary link 44fixed to a motor shaft 43 of the driving motor 41 and coaxially rotatedtogether with the motor shaft 43; a hinge bracket 45 installed at oneside of an outer circumferential surface of the primary brush 30; and aconnecting rod 46 having one end hingedly connected to the rotary link44 at a position eccentric from a rotation center of the rotary link 44and having another end hingedly connected to the hinge bracket 45 thusto perform an angular reciprocating motion by a rotation of the rotarylink 44.

The driving force transmitting unit 42 converts a rotational motion ofthe motor shaft 43 of the driving motor 41 into a forward and backwardreciprocating rotation of the primary brush 30.

As shown in FIG. 6, the inlet 51 of the first suction duct 50 isarranged at a rear side of the primary brush 30 and is extended to arear side of the housing 110, and an outlet 52 of the first suction duct50 is connected to the connection pipe 115.

When the primary brush 30 is forwardly rotated, that is, the primarybrush 30 is rotated counterclockwise as shown in FIG. 6, the firstsuction duct 50 serves as a primary path of dust brushed by the bristles31 of the primary brush 30 thus to be moved to the rear side of thesuction port 20.

The inlet 61 of the second suction duct 60 is arranged to be openedtowards a floor at the front side of the primary brush 30 and isextended along an upper circumference of the suction port 20, and anoutlet 62 of the second suction duct 60 is connected to the firstsuction duct 50.

When the primary brush 30 is backwardly rotated, that is, the primarybrush 30 is rotated clockwise as shown in FIG. 6, the second suctionduct 60 serves as a secondary path of dust brushed by the bristles 31 ofthe primary brush 30 thus to be moved to the front side of the suctionport 20.

The auxiliary brush 70 is disposed between the primary brush 30 and theinlet 61 of the second suction duct 60, and the bristles 71 aresequentially installed at an outer circumferential surface of theauxiliary brush 70 in a circumferential direction.

The rotational force transmitting unit 80 is composed of a drivingpulley 82 connected to a motor shaft 81 extended from the fan motor, adriven pulley 84 installed at one side of the auxiliary brush 70, and abelt 83 for connecting the driving pulley 82 and the driven pulley 84.

The auxiliary brush 70 is forwardly rotated, that is, iscounterclockwise rotated in FIG. 6, and moves dust brushed by theprimary brush 30 rotating in a backward (i.e., clockwise) direction,thus to be moved to the front side of the suction port 20 toward a rearside of the suction port 20.

The auxiliary brush 70 can be backwardly rotated, that is, can beclockwise rotated in FIG. 6, and can induce dust brushed by the primarybrush 30 rotating in a backward (i.e., clockwise) direction, thus to bemoved to the front side of the suction port 20 toward the inlet 61 ofthe second suction duct 60.

Hereinafter, an operation of the suction head of the vacuum cleaneraccording to the present invention will be explained as follows. Amotion direction of each member is explained with reference to theattached drawings, and the present invention is not limited to themotion direction.

When a power source is applied to the vacuum cleaner, a suction force isgenerated at the suction port 20 of the suction head 100 by a suctionforce generated by the fan motor 2. By the suction force, dust on afloor is sucked through the suction port 20 thus to be introduced intothe dust chamber 4 of the body 1.

At this time, as shown in FIG. 7, a rotational force is generated at thedriving motor 41. When the rotational force of the driving motor 41 istransmitted to the primary brush 30 through the driving forcetransmitting unit 42, the primary brush 30 is reciprocatingly rotatedwithin a range of a predetermined angle.

As shown in FIG. 7, when the primary brush 30 is forwardly rotated, thatis, the primary brush 30 is rotated counterclockwise, the bristles 31 ofthe primary brush 30 brush dust on the floor towards the rear side ofthe suction port 20. According to this, most of the brushed dust isintroduced into the inlet 51 of the first suction duct 50.

As shown in FIG. 7, when the primary brush 30 is backwardly rotated,that is, the primary brush 30 is rotated clockwise, the bristles 31 ofthe primary brush 30 brush dust on the floor towards the front side ofthe suction port 20. Also, the bristles 71 of the auxiliary brush 70brush the floor, and move dust brushed by the primary brush 30 thus tobe moved to the front side of the suction port 20 toward the rear sideof the suction port 20.

According to this, the dust moved to the rear side of the suction port20 by a rotation of the auxiliary brush 70 is introduced into the inlet51 of the first suction duct 50.

According to this, most of the dust brushed by the primary brush 30 andthe auxiliary brush 70 is introduced into the first suction duct 50having a suction force comparatively greater than that of the secondsuction duct 60.

A part of dust that has not moved to the rear side of the suction port20 by the auxiliary brush 70 is introduced into the inlet 61 of thesecond suction duct 60, flows along the second suction duct 60, and isintroduced into the first suction duct 50 through the outlet 62 of thesecond suction duct 60.

The dust introduced into the first suction duct 50 and the secondsuction duct 60 is introduced into the connection pipe 115, and then isintroduced into the dust chamber 4 of the body 1 through the connectionhose 7. The dust filtered by the filter 3 inside the dust chamber 4remains in the dust chamber 4, and clean air filtered by the filter 3 isexhausted to outside of the body 1.

The suction head 100 of the vacuum cleaner according to the presentinvention is constructed so that the primary brush 30 can bereciprocatingly rotated within a range of a predetermined angle.According to this, an entire area occupied by the suction head 100 canbe evenly brushed thereby to enhance a cleaning function.

Also, the auxiliary brush 70 connected to the fan motor 2 thus to berotated is installed between the primary brush 30 and the second suctionduct 60, so that dust brushed by the primary brush 30 can be smoothlysucked.

Additionally, since a driving force of the fan motor 2 is used in orderto rotate the auxiliary brush 70 without an additional driving forcegenerating means, a construction by an installation of the auxiliarybrush 70 is simplified.

Also, since the first suction duct 50 and the second suction duct 60 forintroducing dust are provided at both sides of the primary brush 30 andthe auxiliary brush 70, respectively, brushed dust can be smoothlysucked into the body 1 by the primary brush 30 and the auxiliary brush70.

As the present invention may be embodied in several forms withoutdeparting from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, itshould also be understood that the above-described embodiments are notlimited by any of the details of the foregoing description, unlessotherwise specified, but rather should be construed broadly within itsspirit and scope as defined in the appended claims, and therefore allchanges and modifications that fall within the metes and bounds of theclaims, or equivalence of such metes and bounds are therefore intendedto be embraced by the appended claims.

1. A suction head of a vacuum cleaner, comprising: a housing having asuction port through which dust on a floor is sucked by an operation ofa fan motor; a primary brush rotatably installed in the suction port andhaving a plurality of bristles arranged in a longitudinal directionthereof; a primary brush driving device for reciprocatingly rotating theprimary brush within a range of a predetermined angle; and an auxiliarybrush rotatably installed at one side of the primary brush and having aplurality of bristles arranged in a longitudinal direction thereof, forsupplementing an operation of the primary brush with being rotated. 2.The suction head of claim 1, further comprising a rotational forcetransmitting unit for transmitting a rotational force of the fan motorto the auxiliary brush.
 3. The suction head of claim 2, wherein therotational force transmitting unit is composed of: a driving pulleyconnected to a motor shaft extended from the fan motor; a driven pulleymounted at one side of the auxiliary brush; and a belt for connectingthe driving pulley and the driven pulley.
 4. The suction head of claim1, further comprising: a first suction duct having an inlet positionedcorresponding to a direction of dust movement when the primary brushrotates in a forward direction; and a second suction duct having aninlet positioned corresponding to a direction of dust movement when theprimary brush rotates in a backward direction.
 5. The suction head ofclaim 4, wherein the inlet of the first suction duct is arranged at arear side of the suction port, and the inlet of the second suction ductis arranged at a front side of the suction port and extended along anupper circumference of the suction port.
 6. The suction head of claim 5,wherein the auxiliary brush is installed between the primary brush andthe inlet of the second suction duct, and is rotated to brush dust on afloor towards the primary brush.
 7. The suction head of claim 5, whereinan outlet of the second suction duct is connected to the first suctionduct.
 8. The suction head of claim 1, wherein the primary brush drivingdevice is composed of: a driving motor for providing a driving force;and a driving force transmitting unit for transmitting a driving forceof the driving motor to the primary brush so that the primary brush canbe reciprocatingly rotated within a range of a predetermined angle. 9.The suction head of claim 8, wherein the driving force transmitting unitis composed of: a rotary link fixed to a motor shaft of the drivingmotor and concentrically rotated with the motor shaft; a hinge bracketinstalled at one side of an outer circumferential surface of the primarybrush; and a connecting rod having one end hingedly connected to therotary link at a position eccentric from a rotation center of the rotarylink and having another end hingedly connected to the hinge bracket.